Xenobiotics

Xenobiotics (xenos = foreign, different) xenobiotics refers to anthropogenic (man-made, e.g. plastics) foreign substances that are not naturally formed and are therefore alien to the biological system. Xenobiotics are often difficult or impossible to degrade biologically. Under certain circumstances they can have a toxic effect. For the human organism, including the skin as a biochemical and molecular barrier, the glutathione detoxification system plays a special role in the degradation of xenobiotics. The glutathione detoxication system includes cytein, glutathione synthetases, reduced glutathione, glutathione S-transferases as well as glutathione peroxidases and glutathione reductases. The Glutathione Defense System also plays an important role in insects to inactivate xenobiotics, e.g. in the development of resistance against insecticides. Keratinocytes are also able to render combat gases harmless via this system.